Floor-jack.



' R. M. HUSTON.

FLOOR JAGK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1912.

1,060,843. Patented May 6, 1913.

ROBERT M. HUSTON, OF FALL RIVER, KANSAS.

FLOOR-JACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 1, 1912.

Patented May 6, 1913.

Serial No.712,805.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT M. HUSTON, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Fall River, in thecounty of Greenwood and State of Kansas, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in F loor-Jacks, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a floor jack, and has for its object theprovision of a device of this character adapted to be used when layingflooring, said jack being constructed in such manner as to engage ajoist, and with said joist as a support, acting to force the floorboards into firm engagement with each other and to hold said boards intoposition while they are being nailed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device ofthis character that will be self-sustaining after it has been placed inposition. In other words, one that will maintain itself in position uponthe joist and continue to exert pressure against the floor while leavingthe hands of the operator free to perform the operation of nailing.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device ofthis character that will be adjustable to supports of different widthsso that it may be used equally as well upon rafters when applyingroofing, boards, or upon studding when applying sheathing or siding.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedmethod of mounting the removable member of the ack upon the stationarymember thereof.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in thedetailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a jackconstructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevationthereof showing the device in position upon a joist, and Fig. 3 is anedge elevation of the jack.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of thedrawing.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 5 designates a body bar having aninturned foot 6 adapted to engage beneath a joist.

7 is an L-shaped bearing block, the long side of which lies flat againstthe body bar 5, and is provided with a dowel pin 8 adapted to enter inone of a number of openings 9 formed in said body bar. Pivoted betweenthe long part of block 7 and the short part thereof, is a lever 10. Thislever is pivotally mounted upon a screw or bolt 11, having a nut 12 uponits opposite end. The lever 10 is provided with a downwardly extendinglug 13 to which is pivotally connected at 14, a presser foot 15. Thefront end of this foot is preferably grooved at 16 to adapt it forengagement with tongue and groove flooring.

The operation of the device is novel and important. In operation, thebody bar 5 is placed in the position shown in Fig. l, and

the lever 10 is moved downwardly to the po sition therein shown. It isapparent that as this lever is brought down from a substantiallyvertical position, the foot 15 will be forced into engagement with theoutermost piece of flooring 17, and that the thrust of said foot againstsaid flooring will tend to move the body bar 5 to the right. This causesthe corner 18 of block 5 to engage the top of the joist, and the corner19 of foot 6 to engage the bottom of the joist. Downward movement of thelever 10 is limited by the lug 13, contacting with the transverseportion 20 of block 7 but by the time this lug contacts with the block,the pivotal point 14 has passed beyond the center. That is, it liesbelow a line drawn from groove 16 to the screw or bolt 11, andconsequently the device will remain rigidly in place, leaving the handsof the operator free to nail the piece of flooring 17 to the joist. Thedistance between the openings 9 is equal to the distance between thedowel pin 8 and the screw or bolt 11, so that when the dowel pin isshifted from one of these openings to the other, one of said openingswill always be in proper position to have the screw or bolt 11 passthrough. This renders the adjustment of the device to contact withjoists, rafters and studding of various sizes very eas E rom theforegoing description it will be seen that simple and eflicient meansare herein provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, butwhile the elements shown and described are well adapted to serve thepurposes for which they are intended, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the precise constructic-n set forth, butincludes within its purview, such changes as may be made within thescope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of thecharacter described, the combination with a supporting body bar having ajoist engaging foot at its lower end, of a bearing block of L-shapedform, an operating lever and pivot member for mounting said operatinglever in said- L-shaped bearing block, said pivot member passing throughsaid L-shaped bearing block and through said body bar, a fixed membercarried by said bearing block and adapted to engage in any one of anumber of openings formed in said body bar, the distance be tween saidopenings being equal to the distance bet-ween said fixed member and saidpivot member and a presser foot pivotally connected to said lever.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with asupporting body bar having a joist engaging foot at its lower end, abearing block of L-shaped form, an operating lever and pivot member formounting saidv operating lever in said L- shaped bearing block, saldplvot member passing through said L-shaped bearing block and throughsaid body bar, a fixed member carried by said bearing block and adaptedto engage in any one of a number of openings formed in said body bar,the distance between said openings being equal to the distance betweensaid fixed member and said pivot member, a presser foot pivotallyconnected to said lever, a lug carried by said leverv which contactswith the transverse portion of said L-shaped bearing block to limit thedownward movement of said lever,

the pivot of said presser foo-t passing through said lug and said pivotlying below the center of movement of said lever from inoperative tooperative position when the device is in operative position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT M. HUSTON.

Witnesses A. F. WILKmsoN, M. A. I-IIoKox.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

